I’ve been reading a lot of different devotionals lately, as I begin the process of writing my own devotional for caregivers. Devotionals make a wonderful gift for yourself or for the special women in your life, and the list below should cover just about everyone.

(Sorry, men, I know there are some great devotionals out there for you guys, too, but this list is all about the ladies!)

The best devotional for every special woman on your gift list

For the discouraged woman

Author and speaker Annie F. Downs recently released a beautiful, hardcover book called 100 Days to Brave: Devotions for Unlocking Your Most Courageous Self. Each day’s reading is brief and doable even for the busiest woman, and I always love Annie’s friendly, down-to-earth and grace-filled writing style:

In the long run, you need to remember: whether you’re wearing bright-yellow toenail polish, helping out an elderly neighbor by mowing her grass, or washing the clothes of street kids in India, you were made to walk like Jesus walked. To serve. Because of God’s great love for us, we can love and lead others. And we don’t have to be afraid. We can be brave.

(My friend Kelly Johnson, who is a seasoned Bible teacher and social worker turned life coach, will also be releasing a new devotional called Being Brave: A 40-Day Journey to the Life God Dreams for You on December 19.)

For the engaged or married woman

A longtime favorite of mine, Jennifer Smith’s 30-day devotional, Wife After God: Drawing Closer to God & Your Husband, directs women towards deeper faithfulness, gratitude, humility, and intimacy with their Creator and their husbands:

Men get re-energized by respect. It gives them confidence and speaks to their soul, laying the foundation for them to lead. Women are re-energized by love. When a woman is pursued romantically she feels accepted and secure, which lays the foundation for her to serve as a helper. This was God’s great design for marriage: that you would respect your husband through your words and actions and that he would love you unconditionally just as Christ loves the church.

For the rejected or unappreciated woman

My dear friend and fellow Texan Michelle Discavage, who also happens to be a life coach, released an incredible devotional last year called Unnamed Women of the Bible: Lessons of Value, Belonging, and Worth. Michelle shows us the significance of four unnamed women in the Bible and applies their truth to our lives:

An unnamed woman, known only by the place she is from, instructs us. When you see a need that you are able to meet, do so. Rejoice in the promises given to you. Run to the One who spoke the promises, even when they seem to be falling away. Walk in obedience, even if you must leave your place of comfort. Share your story with others.

For the high school or college student

I was recently provided a copy of Lindsay A. Franklin’s gorgeous, new hardcover book, Adored: 365 Devotions for Young Women, for review. I love that each day is one brief and to-the-point page with a key Bible verse and space included to respond and wish I’d had a resource like this when I was in school:

Using God as a pattern for anything can feel overwhelming. He’s so big. We’re so small. How do we model ourselves after someone like God? If we squint really hard, we can maybe see his thumbprint on us, but…being holy like God? Is that even possible?

For the overwhelmed mother

Karen Ehman and Ruth Schwenk released a beautiful devotional called Pressing Pause: 100 Quiet Moments for Moms to Meet with Jesus last year, and I received a copy as a gift from my wonderful mentor mom in Mothers of Preschoolers. Each reading provides rest for the weary mom:

If we want to produce useful, homeless fruit in our homes as wives and mothers, we must allow God to prune away that which is dead, lifeless, and energy-sapping. We must make room for the Son to shine so we can be properly nourished, grow deep roots, and produce juicy, faith-filled fruit in our lives.

For the mission-minded woman

I was also provided a copy of Debbie Johnson’s new devotional, A Pocketful of Seeds: When We Sow, Life Happens, for review. Debbie turns being a social justice warrior into a marathon instead of a sprint. She offers bite-sized pieces of practical information and ways to make a difference each day in this undated, year-long devotional:

Get on your congressmen’s email lists. Sign up on their websites. Periodic emails will arrive from their offices. In other words, you don’t have to seek them out. They come to you, electronically.

On our senators’ websites, there are lists of the top issues, where they stand, and what they are working on. And you can weigh in on issues that are important to you. Every contact counts, even if it’s just a few words.

For the grieving mother

Sarah Philpott, Ph.D.’s new book, Loved Baby: 31 Devotions Helping You Grieve and Cherish Your Child After Pregnancy Loss, offers grieving moms much-needed hope, wisdom, and support in the wake of stillbirth or miscarriage. Her words are balm to an aching soul:

These precious souls that God knit into our wombs do not cease to exist, rather they all exist in heaven.

Did I leave your favorite devotional off this list? Let me know in the comments.